Get Involved

George’s story

I met Made With Many in 2015 to explore the idea of working together to organise a festival. My role in this was as the volunteer Chair of the KHL Big Local, who also put investment as well as our volunteer time into the project.

The first Field Day in 2016 was a collaboration between KHL Big Local and Made With Many, or Made In Corby as it was then known – it was fantastic as it was a big community event and it launched the festival. I learned a lot in the process and understand the value of working together, which we’ve taken forward to continue Field Day Festival, which will happen again on August 10th this year.

I learned about organisation, communication, working with artists and relationship building through volunteering in this project. It was really good fun, seeing something start off as an idea, then coming together as a big event. Realising the cost of putting on an event has been a big learning curve, as well as the insurance, contracts, legal considerations and governance.

Volunteering has increased my confidence and capacity, and I’m much more able to meet with different folk, whether it’s the CEO or the janitor. It’s helped me with leadership too, and in 2019 I became a volunteer member of the Made With Many consortium. It’s great to be meeting with organisations who work in the Arts and Voluntary sector as I’m making connections, as well as sharing ideas and resources.

I feel supported, encouraged and inspired. Recently, I made the transition into working as an artist alongside my volunteering commitments.

Volunteering is now an integral part of my life and every interaction I have with a human being is a learning opportunity. Many colleagues have become great friends and it’s enriched my life immensely, as I have so many people I can share ideas with, as well as conversations, fears and worries, hopes and aspirations.

In 2023 I was awarded a Rose of Northamptonshire Award for Community Service, which I was extremely pleased to receive – it was good to get recognition for me and my community.

So, now I’m volunteering at the KHL Community Workshop, which is another project that Made With Many have helped bring to fruition.

I volunteer as part of the management committee as well as being a user of the space and spend a lot of time here, building a community and collaborating with other artists. Come and visit us and have a chat!

Update: George has been awarded the British Empire Medal for volunteering

Susan’s story

I’ve been volunteering for Made With Many since 2016 and in that time I’ve learned lots of new skills and have met a lot of interesting artists!

Volunteering gives me something to look forward to and it’s opened doors to lots of new activities and friendship groups. I used to go to one group on a Monday, but since being in contact with Made With Many and volunteering, I’m out of the house nearly every day of the week. The pandemic lockdown was a real challenge for me, as I had health issues which meant I had to isolate for longer than most people, but volunteering has helped me get back out and about, amongst people.

I’ve also been able to make volunteering work around other commitments, as well as having time to enjoy the actual event I’m helping at. During Pole Fair we did short volunteer shifts that were manageable for me whilst making sure I had time to see the things I didn’t want to miss. Made With Many allocate me tasks that are more suited to my abilities, so I’m not on my feet for very long, as well as having plenty of breaks. Some of these roles have been signing visitors into events, collecting donations, or helping people find their way around a large event by giving directions.

Knitting is my hobby, but I also volunteered to knit for Pole Fair – it was a lot of fun and so amazing to see my brightly coloured flowers as part of the huge floral arches – as well as seeing the ham I had knitted on top of the greasy pole!

At Made With Many’s masterclasses at the KHL Community Workshop, I volunteered to make the tea and coffee for class attendees and got chatting to a lot of new people. I always let people know what opportunities and classes are coming up next, as I talk to people everywhere I go, on the buses, wherever I’m sitting and when I’ve got my knitting out in a café. This is part of what I do as part of being an Arts Ambassador for Made With Many – I tell people what’s going on and what they can get involved in, although sometimes I put up posters near where I live too.

I really like helping Artists in their workshops too, from clay to papercraft – well, anything really. I enjoy helping and encouraging the families and little ones to have a go, as a lot of children these days are busy with computers and it’s a new experience to do something with their hands. It’s very rewarding seeing them have new ideas and being surprised at what they can create.

I’ve also volunteered for a community panel for one of the Grow Festivals, where I was part of a group of people selecting artists and acts – I thoroughly enjoyed getting stuck in to being part of the planning process as usually I’m part of the final event.

Over the years I’ve also enjoyed some lovely volunteer evenings where we’ve had a get together and had a sneak preview of what’s happening next. And I really enjoyed receiving the commemorative Pole Fair coin awarded for volunteers, it’s a lovely reminder of the day.

Ann’s story

I’ve been volunteering since 1975, starting by helping out at the Danesholme Youth Club which led to a job in Youth Work until 1998, then at English Heritage as an extension to a job I had there. Since 2004 I’ve also been running Stevie Way Art Group on a voluntary basis.

Around 2012, before Made With Many had a name and before the funding bid was submitted to the Arts Council I was volunteering, representing Stevie Way Art Group (SWAG) and the general community in the process of responding to the steering committee’s call out for ideas and aspirations for the project. We helped shape the project by saying what wasn’t available locally and what we wanted and needed as a community.

I wasn’t aware at the time just how big it was going to be, but I got involved in the conversations and events that were being held to develop the project, as well as being part of the ‘I’m In’ campaign to prove to the Arts Council that the project had local support to help us get the funding. During the first project with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014 I was involved in explaining the history of Corby steelmaking and in the selection of music for the launch event concert with Deep Roots Tall Trees at the football ground.

In 2016 I was asked to look at a whole load of applications to select the artists who would make new works for the new Field Day Festival, as I was a KHL Partnership member. It was a fascinating process and having the artists at the festival made a brilliant day, which I also helped out at.

Having Made With Many on board with the Field Day Festival meant we had professional mentors, who made it really clear that it was a big piece of work to take on as an annual event, but that we could replicate it by following the method. It encouraged the KHL Big Local committee and volunteers to have confidence that we could do it ourselves in following years.

My role as an Arts Ambassador at Made With Many means that I share a lot of events on Facebook and Instagram and encourage people to come along and join in, as well as sharing posters, leaflets and brochures around the community. I like to turn up and generally make myself useful, I always say “I’ll turn up to the opening of a crisp packet!” It gives me a chance to network and I see a value in sharing what you know and cascading it to other people and organisations. Meeting new people gives me an opportunity to do this and draw upon all that information to enable other people in what they want to do.

During the Grow Festivals I helped again selecting artists and developing the branding as part of a community forum, as well as helping out with practical tasks. In 2019 my SWAG group made aprons for the community feast kitchen and 200 metres of bunting to hang in the town centre! We meet every Monday from 11.30am – 1.30pm at Stephenson Way Community Centre if anyone wants to join us!

In early 2020 I was made redundant, which gave me an opportunity to look for a job in the arts and it was serendipitous that Made With Many were looking for an Administrator. I worked at Made With Many from Spring 2020 (starting remotely during lockdown) until I retired in Summer 2022. In 2020 I also became a trustee of Corby Community Arts, having had a long and merry connection with them since 1987.

Now I’m retired I also volunteer at the KHL Community Workshop running sessions on Thursdays 2pm – 5pm (kettle is always on) and I love the community we have down there.

Next I’m getting involved in Made With Many’s Focus Groups to help revamp the website and review the marketing, as I like to make a difference and I know it’ll be appreciated.

Personally, I find volunteering very rewarding. I regularly bump into people and they remember things we’ve jointly been involved with and it brings back those warm feelings and makes me feel like I’ve made a positive difference.

As a volunteer I’ve had some amazing moments… I’ve seen an acrobat performing in a vast, floating bubble on the Boating Lake. Just not an every day moment…

Jess’s blog

Making an impact

Do you remember when you first realised what you wanted to be when you ‘grew up’?

For many, including myself, that revelation didn’t come naturally at 18, aside from ‘vaguely arty’. It took many more years of soul-searching, trial and error, and unexpected opportunities to find something I finally felt fit.

I finished school without post-16 qualifications and by 18 I was a young mum, leading me to navigate through various part-time jobs that revolved around school runs and commitments. Jumping from sector to sector, none seemed to feel like it played into any strengths. It wasn’t until I started working for a small charity that opportunities began to present themselves.

With limited funding, the charity lacked marketing capacity, and I found myself volunteering to fill that gap. After producing my first flyer (made on Word!), I received some encouraging feedback that I had a knack for design. I became the go-to person for posters and flyers, which eventually led to more opportunities to build on my skills, such as managing the social channels and eventually being trusted to develop the website.

I realised that spreading awareness of vital services and promoting fundraising through creative means was not only fulfilling but also something I could see myself pursuing long-term. Building on this experience, I applied for a marketing role at Made With Many, where I continue to thrive and feel very privileged to love what I do!

Volunteering boosted my self-esteem, pushing me out of my introverted comfort zone by working alongside a community fundraising committee. I cannot recommend it enough as a gateway to exploring your interests and passions, and hopefully guide you towards a career path that aligns with your values.

As we celebrate Volunteers Week soon, I encourage you to consider the transformative power of volunteering. Whether it’s honing your skills, building connections, or discovering new strengths, volunteering offers a wealth of opportunities to invest in yourself while making a positive impact on the world around you.

At Made With Many, we have opportunities that could be the springboard you need to jump into a career where you might produce incredible events, foster local community connections or help promote causes close to your heart.